Drought — Southern Coos, New Hampshire

2025-11-01 to 2025-11-30 · Southern Coos, New Hampshire

Event narrative

Coos County averaged 3.3 inches of precipitation in November, approximately half an inch below normal. The rainfall deficits carried over from summer grew over 6 inches, making it the 3rd driest stretch between June through November on record. The USDM on November 25th had 91% of the county in Severe Drought (D2) and 9% in abnormally dry (D0), a significant decrease since the beginning of the month where 78% of the county was in Extreme Drought (D3). On November 21, 2025, the USDA officially designated Coos County as a Primary Natural Disaster Area (alongside Belknap and Carroll counties). The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) noted that reported dry wells were most heavily concentrated in Grafton and Coos Counties. In the Upper Valley and mountain regions, demand for well-drilling services flipped from 80% new construction to 80% replacement wells. In early November, groundwater monitoring stations in the northern half of New Hampshire recorded levels below the 10th percentile, with some reaching historic lows for the month. Well-drilling companies reported months-long backlogs as homeowners with shallow dug wells sought to transition to deeper bedrock wells. Unlike southern New Hampshire, Coos County saw a series of upslope precipitation events in early November that brought several inches of snow to the peaks. This helped stabilize river levels, but it provided negligible recharge to deep groundwater sources. Major reservoirs in the region experienced low inflows, forcing dam operators to limit outflows to maintain winter drawdown targets.

Wider weather episode

November 2025 brought modest improvements to New Hampshire's drought conditions, primarily driven by the transition into cooler weather and a significant reduction in vegetative water demand. While soil moisture levels showed the most notable gains, the region's hydrological recovery was hindered by another month of below-normal precipitation. Consequently, despite some localized relief, a large area of severe drought persisted, and streamflows and groundwater levels continued to struggle.

The arrival of wintry weather and colder air introduced the season's first widespread snowfall, with most of the state recording at least an inch and higher accumulations in the mountains. However, actual precipitation fell short of expectations; coastal regions received only 50-60% of their normal totals, while only the mountainous areas saw near or above-average moisture. Although there were broad improvements in the extent of extreme drought throughout the month, substantial long-term deficits remain. While November brought some surface-level relief from rainfall and early snow, groundwater levels remained below normal to much below normal. Because groundwater recharges more slowly than surface water, many private wells remained dry or critically low. It was estimated that an additional 6 to 12 inches of precipitation was still required to fully restore soil moisture and replenish depleted groundwater reserves.

In response to widespread dry well reports, the state reopened the Emergency Drought Assistance Program (EDAP) in November 2025. State officials reported that by November, over 250 residents statewide had officially reported dry wells, with a high concentration in the Seacoast and Mid-State regions. Shallow dug wells were the most affected, as they were unable to reach the receding water table.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1300343. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.